High int

[robert7]

Has anyone heard of an INR above 13.5 ? Mine was last week. And was given vit k in drs Hospital put me on strong antibiotics to deal with Aspergillus. In my blood. And lungs. Also suffer copd and a/f. And pacemaker. Just out hospital with pneumonia. All these drugs they give out seem to have an adverse effect on other parts of the body that are ok. Such as liver etc

[Hidden]

Oh how awful for you! Never heard of INR like that. At least you were in the right place. You are really going through the mill. I do hope things improve for you very soon.

Best wishes

Sandra

[CDreamer]

That is very high. I’m afraid all drugs have benefits and risks and interactions. It has obviously been a very distressing time for you but thankfully you came through, now rest and recuperation is your best friend.

[Hidden]

When everything has settled down, it might be worth having a talk to your doctor about taking one of the new anticoagulants instead of warfarin. That would be especially helpful if you need to have regular courses of antibiotics.

[jeanjeannie50]

Gosh your INR was crazily abnormal, I've not heard of anyone with it that high! How often are you tested to see what it is? Thought mine was bad the time it went up to 6.5. It sounds like you've had a really rough time lately and I hope that's passed now and you'll flourish.

I agree with you re the drugs we're given, they can often cure one thing and give you another!

Best wishes.

Jean

[wilsond]

I think with everything that has been going on it has affected how well your medication is working.

My mum once had a rather rattled Anti C0ag nurse ring up asking where dad was.When she said digging down at his alottment,her alarm grew...please fetch him home and straight here....turns out his was 19!! The highest they ever saw. Put down to the Navy Club reunion few days before and excess tots of rum! He was fine and lived to tell the tale.

I wonder if it might suit you to talk about the newer type of ant coags?

Try not to worry too much,warfarin has a life of 40 hours,so may take a while to settle. Best wishes x

[fairgo45]

I Had a similar experience with warfarin but my GP rang me at home to say it was 8 but to still take usual dose

In the middle of the night I woke with painful arm it was blue and looked like an elastic band round it my stomach had circles of blue all over it

Off to Emergency room INR was off their scale admitted for vitamin K and fresh frozen plasma ct scan showed some bleeding I was in hospital 3 days.

The staff said i should change my doctor as it was his fault.

I'm still on warfarin some years later

But finger prick tested weekly

Sometimes these things just happen

[robert7]

Dr taken me off warfrin. Now on dabigatran extexilate. Only needs checking yearly

[ILowe]

It is possible that the strong antibiotics are the problem and possibly they did not check drug interactions before putting you on them. I now regard it as the responsibility of the patient to do these checks/insist they are done, and, not be put off by bland assurances. Memory of doctors is a poor substitute for checking.

If you ever do self-testing, the Coaguchek fails when the INR is more than 8. The advice I follow says that for INR >5, to miss a day or more, test daily and restart with a dose reduction when INR is in range. For INR>10, or when off range for the Coaguchek, stop warfarin etc AND take oral Vit K 2.5mg. Only if there is serious bleeding at any INR you need intravenous.

Glad you got it all safely sorted out.

[suenygaard]

Robert,

You were probably put on an ANTIFUNGAL, not an antibiotic, for aspergillum. Antifungals such as Fluconazole and Voriconazole are well known to increase the INR. Usually a dose adjustment of warfarin is warranted. These drugs both use the Cytochrome P450 system to metabolize them and the warfarin level is increased as a result.

[robert7 in reply to suenygaard]

Yes it was was the anti fungus drug that did it Have to have regular. Liver. Blood test s. Trouble is consultants don’t always read their notes He argued that I didn’t have Aspergillus. Yet it was confirmed. In the hospital I did. It was his assistant who read the note to him to say it tested positive. Aspergillus. Can be quite a dangerous thing to have. Just hope it will go. I have enough with a/f. A pacemaker Copd Bronchoestisiss And colitis